Mahindra Navistar Blog

Outperformance comes to the Auto Expo

2012-01-17T15:32:00.000+05:30

After a very successful pan-India launch and the phenomenalMahindra Navistar Transport Excellence awards, Mahindra Navistar takes a leapforward towards outperformance with a strong presence in the 11^thAuto Expo, Delhi, 2012.

The company has taken the trucking industry by surprise withits innovations. In the 10^th Auto Expo in 2011, Mahindra Navistarhad launched a range of trucks with the revolutionary MaxxForce engines.Continuing the trend, the company launched the first ever application trucks atthe 11^th Auto Expo, 2012. With application trucks at their disposal, fleetowners and the entire trucking industry can now get the benefits ofoutperformance in almost every business.

These trucks are the first ever attempt by any truckmanufacturer to provide integrated trucking solutions. Another key highlight atthe Mahindra Navistar stall was the first ever Value Meter, a tool createdto show customers how much profit they stand to make when they use MahindraNavistar’s outperformance trucks. This will not only change the way truckingstakeholders look at trucking as a business but also help them understand theshortcomings of their businesses. More important, it will enable them to growand take their business to new heights.

Mahindra Navistar has a strong network of 48 dealershipsacross India. Their 24x7 NOW Service Point network will provide truckers withthe advantage of always having expert service and care, wherever and wheneverthey want. And with the launch of their application trucks at the 11^thAuto Expo, Delhi, the company will set new benchmarks in Indian trucking yetagain.

Mahindra Navistar Recognizes the Heroes of the Indian Transport Industry

2011-12-23T20:36:00.000+05:30

¨ Presents the first ever ‘Mahindra NavistarTransport Excellence Awards 2011’

¨ Pioneering initiative to recognize and rewardoutstanding contribution made to the transport sector by various stakeholdersin the transport ecosystem

¨ Fleet Driver Abdul Ghani wins a brand newMahindra Navistar MN25 Truck

¨ Overall 15 Fleet drivers emerge as winners

¨ Highway Dhabas felicitated for the first timeever

¨ Nitesh Agrawal of DARCL wins the ‘YouthTransport Personality’ Award

¨ Awards across five categories in the firstedition:

o Fleet Owners

o Youth TransportPersonality

o Fleet Drivers

o Commercial Vehicle Financiers

o Highway Dhabas

o Not-for-Profit Entities

Mumbai, December 20, 2011: Mahindra Navistar Automotives Limited (MNAL), apart of the Us $ 14.4 billion Mahindra Group, felicitated and awarded theheroes of the Indian transportation industry. At a glittering ceremony heldyesterday in New Delhi, the first ever Mahindra Navistar TransportExcellence Awards 2011, were presented. These awards recognized andrewarded Outperformance, Excellence, Innovation and Change Leadership in theTransport Ecosystem – values which embodies the spirit of MNAL.

Prominent transporters fromacross India, dealers, and 38 winners from different walks of transportecosystem witnessed the glorious ceremony dedicated to the Transport Industry.These winners were celebrities in their own right, unsung heroes of the IndianTransport Ecosystem. Each one of them had a different story of their own tonarrate, all relating to their endeavor to achieve in excellence by, ‘AcceptingNo Limits’, ‘Alternative Thinking’ and ‘Driving Positive Change’, the threefacets of Mahindra’s much talked about Rise initiative.

The event was graced by ShriPraful Patel, Honorable Minister of Heavy Industries & PublicEnterprises, Govt. of India as the Chief Guest. In addition, Mr.S. Sundareshan, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & PublicEnterprises, Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Navistar AutomotivesLtd. and Vice-Chairman & Managing Director-Mahindra & MahindraLtd., Dr. Pawan Goenka – Director, Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd.and President, Automotives & Farm sector - Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Mr.Nalin Mehta Managing Director – Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd and Mr.Barun Das, CEO, Zee News Ltd were amongst those present at the awardsceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr.Pawan Goenka, said, “Mahindra Navistar, as the challenger brand, has takenon the onus of making a difference in the lives of the trucking community.Firstly with its products and now with these awards, MNAL has connected with the transport ecosystem at anemotional level. Coupled with its service back up and a sense of customerservice, MNAL will, in times to come, becomeone of the most respected brands of the Indian trucking industry”.

Congratulating Mahindra Navistaron undertaking this initiative of bringing laurels to the transport Industry, ShriPraful Patel spoke words of motivation in his keynote address and extendedhis heartiest congratulation to all the Award winners whose relentless pursuitfor excellence gave them the winning edge. He said, “I urge the transporterspresent to adapt to current unprecedented economic changes and emergevictorious by investing in the future today. It is very important toimbibe industry imperatives such as innovation in technology, enrichingpartnership and transforming workforce that defines the path to prosperity. Iconvey my best wishes to Mahindra Navistar for their foresight and ingenuity incollaborating with multiple stakeholders through this first ever TransportExcellence Award and wish them all success in their future endeavors”.

Urgingthe second generation to seriously consider going into the family transportbusiness, Mr. Anand Mahindra, said, “You can take the foundationyour parent has built, and grow your own dreams by building on it. Because thisis a new India and it needs all the entrepreneurs it can get.”

Mr. Nalin Mehta said, “Weat Mahindra Navistar wished to recognize the very valuable contribution thatvarious stakeholders in the transport ecosystem make to turn the wheels ofeconomy. Be it the transporters, the drivers, the Dhaba owners, Financiers orthe Not-for-profit organizations – they all have been the unsung heroes in thesuccess story of the Indian economy and the contribution of the transportsector towards it. Going forward, we will continue and further strengthen thefirst step that we have taken in celebrating excellence in transport industrywhich will surely have a multiplier effect and will cross pollinate successstories.”

Some of the noteworthy winnersinclude (list enclosed as annexure):

· Mr. Abdul Ghani, Fleet driver, Professional Automotives Ltd., wonSuper Outperformer Driver of the Year 2011 and a brand New MN 25 Truck.

· Mr. Nitesh Agarwal, DARCL Logistics Ltdwon the “Youth Transport Personality of the Year 2011” Award.

· Mr. Ravindra Singh, R K Food Point Dhaba- first time ever winner of a Dabha award through driver votes.

· In theFleet Owners category, InLand Road Transport Pvt. Ltd., Cargo Wings andSiddhi Vinayak Logistic Ltd. won the National Awards.

· In the CommercialVehicle Financiers’ category, SREI BNP Paribas, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.and HDFC Bank Ltd. won the National Awards.

· In theNGO Category, Transport Corporation of India Foundation, Lokmanya MedicalFoundation and Sangli Zilla Transport Association won the NationalAwards.

The awards have set new standardsfor Indian transport sector in recognizing and rewarding the efforts of its keyconstituents. This will go a long way in encouraging the younger generation ofentrepreneurs to look at the transport industry as an attractive propositionwhich gets its due recognition.

About Mahindra NavistarAutomotives Ltd. (MNAL)

In 2005, Mahindra& Mahindra Ltd. and International Truck and Engine Corporation - theoperating company of Navistar - entered into a JV to manufacture light, mediumand heavy commercial vehicles for India as well as global markets. The jointventure is in the process of addressing every segment of the commercial vehiclemarket from 3.5 tonne GVW to 49 tonne GCW with variants of passenger transport,cargo and specialized load applications.

The new HCV product range hasbeen engineered to meet Indian requirements with technological expertise fromNavistar with the underlying philosophy of ‘Made in India, Made for India andMade with 175 years of international trucking expertise’. The new range ofmedium and heavy commercial vehicles is being manufactured at a new green fieldplant at Chakan. The plant, which spans over 700 acres, has been set up withinvestments of over Rs.4000 crores and is producing other M&M products aswell. This is helping MNAL leverage the benefits of synergies of an integratedmanufacturing facility.

About The Mahindra Group

The Mahindra Group focuses on enabling peopleto rise. Mahindra operates in the key industries that drive economic growth,enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, informationtechnology and vacation ownership. Mahindra has a presence in the automotiveindustry, agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence,energy, financial services, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate,retail, steel and two wheelers.

A US $14.4 billion multinational group based inMumbai, India, Mahindra employs more than 144,000 people in over 100 countries.

In 2011, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global2000 list, a listing of the biggest and most powerful listed companies in theworld. Dun & Bradstreet also ranked Mahindra at No. 1 in the automobilesector in its list of India’s Top 500 Companies. In 2010, Mahindra featured inthe Credit Suisse Great Brands of Tomorrow.

In 2011, Mahindra acquired a majority stake inKorea’s SsangYong Motor Company.

AboutNavistar

NavistarInternational Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiariesand affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks,MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco®RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motorhomes and step vans. It also is a private-label designer and manufacturer ofdiesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets. The company alsoprovides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offersfinancing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com/newsroom.

For further information, please visit www.mahindra.com

Connect with us on www.facebook.com/mahindragroup

For any corporate related information, please contact:

Ms. Roma Balwani

Senior Vice President & Group Head,Corporate Communications

Mahindra &MahindraLtd.

Phone: +91-22-2490-1441

Fax: +91-22-2490-0830

Email: balwani.roma@mahindra.com

For any product/ sales/ marketing related queries, please contact:

Mr. Rajeev Malik

GM - Marketing

Mahindra Navistar Automotive Ltd

Mumbai, India

Tel: +91-22-24905887

Fax: +91-22-24951702

Email: malik.rajeev@mahindranavistar.com

Mahindra Navistar – The Future of Indian Trucking

2011-12-21T15:53:00.000+05:30

The world is a big place, withpeople full of visions. Following the old way of ‘study hard, go to a goodschool, get a great job, and work your way up the ladder’ has little meaningthese days. Success today, whether it’s in a job or owning a business, is allabout creating value.

While most of the parents wanttheir children to join the family business, a truck driver wants quite theopposite. A truck driver's life & hard work is not valued & appreciatedas it should be. It is because of them that various goods are transported allover the country & reach the customers in time. But the rude behavior oftransport officials & the difficulties faced by the truckers ensures themthat their sons do any job other than trucking.

The problems faced by thisdivision are diverse and the issues require a multiple solutions. Thegovernment is taking measures to restructure the road transport sector.Moreover, Truckers feel that their job is highly underpaid & they deservemore respect from the society. The truck managers overload the trucks toachieve more profits but it’s the truck drivers who face the officials &authorities. Truckers are often harassed by police officials. Various otherproblems such as unsafe roads, improper work conditions make the truckers feelfrustrated.

We Share along the video, whichoutlooks the complications & worries of Indian truck drivers:

Truck drivers undoubtedly are themain pillars of Indian economy & commerce. If necessary measures are takenfor the development of truck drivers, then the logistics industry willconfidently flourish.

This initiative is taken byMahindra Navistar under Mahindra Navistar Excellence Awards to recognize andreward Outperformance, Excellence, Innovation and Change Leadership in theIndian Trucking Industry.

Mahindra Navistar has also initiated ‘Papa KaBusiness’ campaign – which motivates & encourages youth to join their dad’sbusiness. This is not only related or restricted to the logistic industry, butrather takes a wide approach to inspire youth to join their family business.

Mahindra Navistar Transport Excellence Awards – Jury Meet

2011-12-16T17:12:00.000+05:30

MahindraNavistar will host a new era of brilliancewith the launch of Mahindra Navistar Transport Excellence Awards. An awards thatrecognizes and reward Outperformance,Excellence, Innovation and Leadership in the Indian Trucking Industry. These awards will aim to be the Oscars of the Indian Transport Industry, as it is the first ever initiative taken on sucha grand scale.

Recently,the Jury of Mahindra Navistar Transport Excellence Awards met to discuss &distinguish the entries received for all categories of the awards such as –

1. FleetOwner

2. FleetDriver

3. CVFinanciers

4. HighwayDhabas

5. NGO/GovernmentBody

Itwas a tough task for the Jury to select the outperformers from a total of 890 entries throughout India.

OurGrand Jury Members consisted of Prominent figureslike:

1. Chairman of the MNTEA 2011 Grand Jury- Mr. S Sunderasan: SecretaryHeavy Industries

2. Mr. Ambuj Sharma, Jt. Secretary, Heavy Industries

3. Mr. Shrikant Marathe, Chief, ARAI Pune

4. Mr. Vishnu Mathur, DG SIAM

5. Prof. Dinesh Mohan, Professor, IIT Delhi

6. Mr. Samir Ahluwalia, Editor Zee Business

7. Mr. Nalin Mehta, Managing Director,Mahindra Navistar

8. Mr. Nikunj Sanghi, PresidentFADA

Also,our Expert Jury panel consists of eminentpersonalities like:

1. BharathDhabolkar (Advertising , Media Personality, Actor, Writer)

2. TejNirmal Singh (Director and Head Supply Ericsson India Pvt Ltd)

3. SushilRathi (Vice President, Mahindra Logistics Ltd)

4. R.Raghavan(Partner – Anantara Solutions)

5. Prof.Raghuram (Public Systems Group IIM- A)

6. CaptYogesh Kundra (Vice President, Supply Chain, India Cements)

7. Rajeev Rajadhyaksha (MD, AUM Consulting)

8. SudhirBadami (Civil Engineer & Transportation Analyst)

9. Prof Nasreen Rustomfram (TATA Institute of Social Sciences) and many more.

Here is a briefdescription of the process flow through which the members of our elite jurypanel scrutinise, evaluate and validate entries received for the awards:

The firststage of the stringent validation process begins with the Screening Jury, whichevaluates and filters all the participating entries received.

Theparticipating entries that make it through after the initial screening are thanevaluated by an Expert Jury. This jury may be centrally or regionally locateddepending upon the category. And theirevaluation is carried out via aninterview, where the nominees present their case in front of them.

Top twowinners from each category are then shortlisted for the next rounds aftertabulating of scores. Further on, the regional winners will be nominated forthe national awards where a National Jury will evaluate them for each category.

The NationalJury then tabulates the scores which are audited to declare the final winnersfor each category.

The list ofwinners is then communicated to the client. Followed by which, the client thenfurther communicates the needful to the winners.

All thisfinally culminates into a national awards function to felicitate the winners.

The"Transport Excellency Awards" are a first of its kind awards with thesole objective to recognize outperformance, innovations, leadership andpioneers of change, and to set the standards of excellence in the industry.

Know More: MahindraNavistar Excellence Awards

Night Guides for Truckers on Highways

2011-12-14T16:32:00.000+05:30

Night driving can be challengingand hazardous for anyone. Driving at night poses some distinctive risks fortruck drivers. The main glitch associated with night driving is visibility -both the truck driver's ability to see other vehicles and other drivers'ability to see the truck. Furthermore, during the dark phase, it is veryproblematic for the truck drivers to locate & understand the sign boards onthe road.

But few developments areundertaken in the trucking sector these days –

As soon as the limitation on theentry of heavy vehicles is lifted at 9 pm, thousands of trucks make a beelineon the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway toll plaza on NH 8 to enter the nationalcapital region (NCR). But the complex road networks, flyovers and signalsconfuse many of these truckers who drive in from far off places to deliverconsignments.

Confounded, they seek out one ofthe 30 odd men who roam around the toll plaza to guide them every night. Thesemen are guides who support truck drivers to manoeuver through the twists andturns to reach their destinations across NCR and even as far as Dadri andSecunderabad in Uttar Pradesh. These guides in the age group of 25-50 yearscharge anything between Rs 100-500.

"For closer destinationslike Mahipalpur, we charge Rs 100, for Azadpur Mandi and central Delhi, Rs300-350, for Noida, Ghaziabad and Dadri, Rs 450 -500," said Chander, oneof the guides. Vikash, a truck driver who was waiting for a guide, said:"I started from Jaipur very late to deliver consignments. My task wouldhave been difficult without these guides as I have never understood thecomplicated network of Delhi roads." The guides say their identities havebeen verified in the local police station and there has never been any untowardincident relating to them.

"We have never come acrossany complications involving the guides," said Gagan Bhaskar, SHO, VasantKunj police station, Delhi, in whose area the toll plaza falls. According tothe guides, their business which starts right from Dharuhera check post onDelhi- Jaipur highway has been running for more than 20 years.

News Courtesy: HindustanTimes

Mahindra Navistar - pan-India commercial launch

2011-12-06T17:54:00.001+05:30

Mahindra Navistar announces its pan-India commercial launch

Launchannounced with unparalleled Service benefit package
48hours on-road repair assurance promise
Unprecedented4-years Unlimited Mileage warranty
Strongservice network with 940 touch points (and growing)
48strong 3S Dealership going up to nearly 100 in the next 12 to 18 months
Sprawlingdealership reflects Mahindra Navistar’s serious commitment to CV Business
Theexisting LCV and new HCV range to be sold and serviced from new dealerships
Offersproducts between 4.5 and 9 tonne and between 25 and 40 tonne, including RigidTruck, Multi Axle truck, Tipper and Tractor Trailer.
Over2500 HCVs on the roads; Crossed 10,000 LCVs sales per annum

Afterannouncing start of production and subsequently start of sales last year,Mahindra Navistar Automotives Limited (MNAL) today announced its pan Indiacommercial launch. MNAL has gone from strengthto strength in recent times, launching their new offerings and adding new HCVsto the MN25 launched earlier, viz., the MN31, MN40 and MN25 tipper.

Speakingon the occasion of the pan India commercial launch of brand Mahindra Navistar,Dr. Pawan Goenka, Director, Mahindra Navistar Automotives Limited and President– Automotive & Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said, “This is alandmark day in the history of Mahindra Navistar as it marks another veryimportant milestone. After seeding sales in select markets and building aformidable service network of nearly 940 service points on strategic truckingroutes, MNAL is all set to take on the length and breadth of the countrythrough its commercial Launch. Today, we are a full range Commercial Vehicleplayer with a pan-India service network dedicated towards our customers.”

Mr.Nalin Mehta, Managing Director, Mahindra Navistar Automotives Limited, added,“During this short one year period, MNAL has adequate market experience andcustomer feedback to significantly enhance the performance, fuel efficiency andvalue that our products offer. We can today proclaim with confidence that ourproducts, the MN25, MN31, MN40, MN25 Tipper are truly MADE IN INDIA, MADE FORINDIA. We propose to launch products like the MN35, MN49, MN25 Heavy dutyTipper (for mining) and certain other model variants during the next financialyear.”

Mr.Nalin Mehta further added, “Alongwith the commercial launch, we are glad toannounce that we have decided to introduce two new customer-centric initiativesthat reflect our confidence in the service network that we have built – 48hours on-road repair assurance and 4-years unlimited mileage warranty. As youwould realize, these new benefits will go a long way in helping our customersmaximize the uptime of their trucks and hence outperform in their businesses toearn more”.

Duringthis period, MNAL has expanded its dealership network (48 nos) pan-India atvarious locations viz. Hyderabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Nashik, Gorakhpur,Muzaffarpur, Bilaspur, Coimbatore, Chennai, Indore, Nellore, Vizag, Karimnagar,Tirunelveli, Hospet, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kharagpur, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kozhikode, Pune, Salem,Vijayawada, Udaipur, Villupuram, Kolhapur, Bhubaneshwar, Dehradun, Dhanbad,Gurgaon, Hubli, Jabalpur, Jalandhar, Jamshedpur, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Karnal,Madurai, New Delhi, Panvel, Purnia, Raipur. Additionally, 50 new dealers arelikely to get ready in the next 12-18 months taking the grand total to 100.

About Mahindra Navistar AutomotivesLtd. (MNAL)

In2005, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Navistar - entered into a JV tomanufacture light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles for India as well asglobal markets. The joint venture is in the process of addressing every segmentof the commercial vehicle market from 3.5 tonne GVW to 49 tonne GCW withvariants of passenger transport, cargo and specialized load applications.

Thenew HCV product range has been engineered to meet Indian requirements withtechnological expertise from Navistar with the underlying philosophy of ‘Madein India, Made for India and Made with 175 years of international truckingexpertise’. The new range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles is beingmanufactured at a new green field plant at Chakan. The plant, which spans over700 acres, has been set up with investments of over Rs.4000 crores and is producingother M&M products as well. This is helping MNAL leverage the benefits ofsynergies of an integrated manufacturing facility.

About Navistar

NavistarInternational Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiariesand affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks,MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses,Monaco® RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis formotor homes and step vans. It also is a private-label designer and manufacturerof diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets. The company alsoprovides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offersfinancing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com/newsroom.

About The Mahindra Group

TheMahindra Group focuses on enabling people to rise. Mahindra operates in the keyindustries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position intractors, utility vehicles, information technology and vacation ownership.Mahindra has a presence in the automotive industry, agribusiness, aerospace,components, consulting services, defence, energy, financial services,industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel and two wheelers.

AUS $14.4 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra employsmore than 137,000 people in over 100 countries.

In2011, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list, a listing of thebiggest and most powerful listed companies in the world. Dun & Bradstreetalso ranked Mahindra at No. 1 in the automobile sector in its list of India’sTop 500 Companies. In 2010, Mahindra featured in the Credit Suisse Great Brandsof Tomorrow.

In2011, Mahindra acquired a majority stake in Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company.
Inorder to provide unparalleled after sales support, MNAL has added around 940service points all across India. Mahindra Navistar has also introduced a Mobileservice workshop, yet another first in the Indian trucking industry, with theobjective of providing ‘anywhere, anytime’, on-road assistance to customers.Coupled with the multi-lingual, 24x7 call centre branded as ‘NOW’, which ismanned by trained service experts, Mahindra Navistar is all set to unleash anew paradigm in customer service within the Indian trucking industry.

Inkeeping with its pan India commercial launch, Mahindra Navistar has alsolaunched its first ever television commercial across India. The TVC is aimed atbuilding strong and qualitative awareness of various aspects of the brand. TheTVC treatment is such that it connects emotionally with customers with theobjective of persuading the current and next generation to adapt to the MNALbrand that will help them outperform.

Severalmajor transporters viz. DARCL, Kaushik Logistics, Three Star Shipping, SiriTecon, AT Transport, Chaudhary Transport, Pink Logistics, etc. have shownimmense confidence in our range of HCVs and most of them have placed repeat orders, which is ample proof of the success and acceptance of ournew truck range.

Thecurrent monthly sales volumes of the company are headed towards 1300-1400 units(300-400 HCVs & 900-1000 LCVs per month). Of its new HCV range, over 2500trucks are already plying across Indian roads, catering to various customerneeds or business solutions.

Dangers on Highways in India

2011-12-05T11:19:00.001+05:30

Trucking in India is one of the most dangerous professionsconsidering the risks that truck drivers go through.

India has highways broadening across 3.314 millionkilometers, making it the 3rd biggest road system around the globe. Thedevelopment of expressways has made highway transport well-organized andspeedy. But the main question the trucking industry faces at this moment: Are the Highways Safe?

With millions of vehicle plying on highways each day, it isessential to know how safe these highways are. Indian Highways cause hugedamages to trucks & cause accidents due to the potholes & lack ofmaintenance. On average, 40% of road accidents in India include truck drivers.Mahindra Navistar & Zee News covers the NH12 & NH69 National Highwaysin India, capturing the problems & difficulties of truck drivers.

We Share along the video, which outlooks the complications& worries of Indian truck drivers:

Since the Highways come under the National classification,their upkeep and safety for the free flow of road traffic rests upon theGovernment of India. But most astonishingly and very sadly, the flow of trafficon our National Highways often gets “treacherous and very unsafe” due toimproper maintenance of the roads & poor infrastructure.

‘Sunder Committee’ is an Expert Committee set up to reviewthe Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and suggests changes for the development of RoadTransport and Highways. The committee has suggested few points for increasingthe safety & security for road transport on National Highways:

There should be a budget specially dedicated for NationalHighway security.
A development projectfor institutions working on Highway safety & security.

Major development forums and conferences are set up toimprove the face of Indian Trucking Industry. Mahindra Navistar –‘Outperformer’s League’ is one such forum where experts & members oftrucking industry meet to converse on future progress of the industry and findout ways to increase safety & security measures for truck drivers &other contributors of the industry.

The Out Performance League targets all the members of thetrucking industry which includes fleet owners, investors, suppliers and alsotruck drivers. The modest perception of the league is to discuss the problemsprevailing in the trucking industry in our country and debate on solutions andresolutions to raise the bar of the industry. Furthermore, hitches in thesystem are identified & discussed to avoid future problems.

This initiative is taken by Mahindra Navistar under MahindraNavistar Excellence Awards to recognize and reward Outperformance, Excellence,Innovation and Change Leadership in the Indian Trucking Industry.

Highway Ministry to cut toll fees

2011-11-26T13:18:00.001+05:30

The highways ministry is likely to decrease tollcharges on sections that will be widened from four to six lanes, or from two tofour lanes. Sources said the ministry is bearing in mind three options to givetoll relief to commuters since during expansion the service worsens, making itunsafe to use these stretches.

A senior ministry official said a proposal wassuggested to find a solution as several protests were received about poorcondition of roads under maintenance and expansion. The ministry has drawn theNational Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) attention to the problems. Thefirst proposal is to reduce the consumer fee by 60% of the total toll chargefor projects that will be widened from four to six lanes.

"If we reduce the toll charge by 40%, it willbe a key relief for commuters who face jamming and loss of precious time. Incase of extension, the old toll rate should continue until the work is finished,"said an official. They are also proposing that the NHAI could go for indexingof the toll during the construction phase.

Representatives clarified that all the proposalsare awaiting approval. Once the permission comes through, new settings will beapplicable to projects with reconsidering effect since the present ones areawarded as per prevailing norms.

Last year the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM)on highways had turned down this proposal to stop collecting toll or reducingit by 50% during the construction phase, which takes at least three years. EGoMhad perceived that such a move would make plans unworkable for privatedevelopers.

Article Courtesy: Times of India

Ok is no longer Ok celebrates 1 lakh Fans

2011-11-16T12:32:00.001+05:30

‘If you want to make enemies,try to change something. -Woodrow Wilson’

The quote above certainly stirs a wave insideyour heart. Change is a necessary part of the ecosystem & when we try tochange something for good, we indeed spark a revolution. ‘Ok is no longer Ok’ –The Facebook page of Mahindra Navistar Ltd. is indeed creating a revolution onthe social network. The main change itself is the pioneering technology ofMahindra Navistar which will change the face of the Indian trucking industry.

Recently, Ok is no longer Ok –completed 1 lakh fans on Facebook. Celebrating their high amount of support onthe social network, the page offered exciting souvenirs to their fans onFacebook.

The community on Facebook is quite active inaddressing issues which are ‘Not OK’. The much needed change in the societywon’t come until we ourselves believe in that change. The Community on Facebook& other platforms such as blog & twitter – provides a great medium tolocate & change things around us for the betterment of the society. As Mahindra Navistar trucks change thelogistical industry, it incites us to change the face of the society &diminish all ‘Not Ok’ things such as corruption & poverty.

Fanscan register & get a cool Mahindra Navistar Souvenir – Ok is nolonger Ok

Day by Day, the community onTwitter & Facebook is growing in numbers. Not only youth, but middle agedindividuals are also turning up to the spirit of Mahindra Navistar. MahindraNavistar, pioneers in the trucking industry is changing the face of IndianLogistics sector with their state of the art trucks & revolutionary ‘Now Services’.

Along with their innovative trucks, MahindraNavistar steps into a new era of brilliance with the launch of MahindraNavistar Excellence Awards which recognize and reward Outperformance,Excellence, Innovation and Change Leadership in the Indian TruckingIndustry.

The "Transport ExcellencyAwards" are a first of its kind awards with the sole objective torecognize outperformance, innovations, leadership and pioneers of change, andto set the standards of excellence in the industry.

For more: Stay connected on

Twitter: Twitter.com/okisnolongerok

Facebook:Facebook.com/OKisnolongerOK

Overloaded Trucks – Be Cautious!

2011-11-16T12:23:00.001+05:30

Trucks contribute a veryimportant part in maintaining the country’s economy. In a vast country likeIndia, trucks aid the commerce by delivering cargo even to most remote areas.Nearly 5 million truck drivers in the country who keep the economy moving.

One of the major problemstruckers are facing is overloading. Thetruck managers overload the trucks as transportation costs increase if truckscarry the permissible load. The National Highway Authority of India willshortly prohibit overloaded trucks on the highways. Around 60-70% of goods aretransported on National Highways.

Overloaded vehicles pose an obstacle to forother vehicles on the road. Moreover, overloaded trucks cause moreenvironmental pollution as they burn the gas impartially. They also damage thehighway. According to a study, an overburdened truck of 100 kg can damage thehighway much more than a normal truck. According to the stats 10% of the trucksdamage the roads by 35% and lessen their overall age.

We share along a video –‘Overloaded Trucks – Be Cautious!’ - It is a collaborative effort of MahindraNavistar and Zee news to recognize and appreciate the efforts taken by truckdrivers to keep the economy stable.

Thisvideo brings more such interesting insights into the ‘Life into the truckingindustry’:

Fleet owners are concerned for the delivery of theirmerchandise. They require trucks that are capable of completing trips fasterand are fuel efficient which will ensure fleet owners delivering on timewithout overloading the trucks.

This initiative is taken by Mahindra Navistar under MahindraNavistar Excellence Awards to recognize and reward Outperformance, Excellence,Innovation and Change Leadership in the Indian Trucking Industry.

Papa Ka Business

2011-11-08T18:58:00.000+05:30

The world is a big place and it’s full of prospects.Following the old way of ‘study hard, go to a good school, get a great job, andwork your way up the ladder’ is practically finished. Success today, whetherit’s in a job or owning a business, is all about creating value.

When you’re in a developed country surrounded by hundreds ofmillions of people who share similar skills, it can be a bit competitive to dothis. Then why not join something that has been developed by your father?Studies show that more youth are restraining themselves from joining theirfathers’ business.

Certainly, for an industry like trucks & logistics,joining the business is something the sons avoid to do. But with the launch ofpioneering trucks & technology in the trucking industry in our country,youth are planning to join their fathers’ hard earned company.

Mahindra Navistar has initiated ‘Papa Ka Business’ campaign– which motivates & encourages youth to join their fathers’ business. Thisis not only related or restricted to the logistic industry, but rather takes awide approach to inspire youth to join their family business.

The first part of the campaign is the ‘Ok is no longer Ok’on Facebook which is running a ‘Papa Ka Business Video’ storytelling contest.Fans will answer simple questions everyday based on the short 10 second edit ofthe TVC. A new question is introduced every 2 days for the fans to answer. Thesecond part is around fans & online visitors submitting entries with theirexperiences of working in their family business, on the websitePapakabusiness.com. Contest winners willbe awarded with iPod Nanos.

The great thing about being young is that youhave nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s the only time in your lifethat you won’t be burdened with other responsibilities. So join your ‘Papa KaBusiness’ and lead your own company & achieve new heights.

Life at Truck Terminals in India

2011-10-24T12:31:00.000+05:30

A topmost worry that isdisturbing truck drivers across the business is parking issues which they facein all parts of the country. Whether it’s loading & unloading at particularcenters or rest breaks along the road, parking issues top the list of all fears.

Truck Terminals provide truckdrivers with such parking facilities. Truck Terminals consist of smalltransport offices, and various other facilities which aid loading &unloading of cargo. But along with the change in functioning of the logisticsindustry, it is necessary that truck terminals also change progressively.

Certain facilities such as Firstaid, dormitory and restrooms should be provided for betterment of truck driversalong with necessary services such as garage, service stations & fuel pumps.Moreover, truck terminals are the ideal place for creating awareness among thetruck drivers on HIV/AIDS & other important information such as Governmentroad policies, and rules & regulations.

However,in recent times, the demands for truck terminals are increasing. The currenttruck terminals are inefficient to provide truck drivers with adequatefacilities & are poor in maintenance.

We share along a video – ‘Life atTruck Terminals’ - which is a collaborative effort of Mahindra Navistar and Zeenews to recognize and appreciate the efforts taken by truck drivers to keep theeconomy stable.

This video brings more such interesting insightsinto the ‘Life at Truck Terminals’:

The Government is takingnecessary actions to solve all parking related issues. The administration plansto appoint a team of traffic experts to analyze the issues & provide witheffective solutions for improvement of the industry.

This initiative is taken by Mahindra Navistarunder Mahindra Navistar Excellence Awards to recognize and rewardOutperformance, Excellence, Innovation and Change Leadership in the IndianTrucking Industry

Mahindra Navistar - Life at the Highway Dhaba

2011-10-21T12:13:00.001+05:30

We all are accustomed with the term“Dhaba”, the name itself teases our senses. These are local open restaurantsdotting the highways in rustic scenery and have a native aroma to them. TheDhabas range along the Indian Highways from the extreme stretches of the North,to the warmest coasts of the South. Small and Large Dhabas have sprung up alongthe highways, providing cheap & tasty traditional Indian food. They offerthe best choices when it comes to lip-smacking variety of Indian culinarydelights.

Dhabas are not only a stop for foodfor the truck drivers. They certainly are a resting place for the truckers. Thecozy & comforting ‘khats’ at the Dhaba and amenities such as washrooms& bathing facilities gives the truck driver a ‘Home’ away from home. Onevery route, truckers have their fixed stops at Dhabas where they rest &eat food. The truck drivers share a unique level of comfort with the Dhabaowners and their staff. There is a confident & special bond of friendshipbetween the Dhabas & trucker drivers.

Few years back, people used to thinkof a Dhaba as an unhealthy place in the open, loaded with files, and sellingcheap food. However that belief is no longer valid as Dhabas are a lot betterthese days. Times have changed to a point where Dhabas aren't really lookeddown upon. People today eat at Dhabas and appreciate the tantalizing foodstuff.So nowadays it's not just the truck drivers but also a variety of populacesfrom collegians to families are seen enjoying the food at a famous Dhaba.

But all things aren’t easy for theDhaba owners. The inflation is certainly pushing them backwards. Also a majorconcern of safety & security at the highways Dhabas trouble the Dhabaowners.

We share along a video – ‘Life atthe Highway Dhaba’ - which is a collaborative effort of Mahindra Navistar andZee news to recognize and appreciate the effort taken by a highway Dhabas tofeed the travellers on the highway.

This video brings more such interesting insightsinto the ‘Life at a highway Dhaba’:

Mesmerize yourself with everybite that goes into your mouth and count your blessings. No matter where youcome from and who you are, fact is that there is nothing that can outperform ameal containing of a parantha, dal makhani, murg makhani and an extra-largeglass of lassi.

So the next time you travel onthe highway, make a point to visit the very own ‘Highway Dhaba’

Indian Trucking – demands new youth power

2011-10-10T14:36:00.000+05:30

“It is believed that youthparticipation is imperative in the decision making process as it not onlyaffects our daily lives but also has implications on the future generations.”

In the recent years, Indiantrucking industry saw a huge turnover ratio in truck drivers and fleet owners.The trade is suffering from a serious shortage of skilled employees who can aidthe future development of the trucking sector.

According to a survey by TrakBusiness India - The Young population of India are the biggest constructivefactor for the growth of Indian Economy. As per the survey calculations, Indiawill add 241 Million people in working-age population between 2010-2030, which willimpact not only economic growth prospects, but also savings and investmentbehavior and potentially the financial market.

Youth certainly is not interestedin taking up trucking industry as their career due to all the occupationalhazards that come along with the occupation. While some youngsters are joiningthe logistics sector, few are still insecure about stepping into the truckingindustry. The present youth who are keen on taking logistics as their careerare very important in shaping the future, sustainability and stability ofIndian Trucking Industry.

In our country, nearly 80 % ofthe cargo is transported along the roads making trucks a very important part ofthe economy. Along with shortage of truck drivers, the industry is also facinga scarcity of talented youth who usually prefer high paying jobs in metrosrather than building upon their truck company. Youth is undoubtedly importantfor the development of trucking industry. They store inside them the abilities to be prosperous entrepreneurs tolead the industry to a new age.

To conclude, we have tounderstand the power of the youth. More importantly, the youth have tounderstand their own power, realize their potential, and be a part of thesystem to upsurge the growth of Indian Trucking Industry.

Life on Wheels - Life of an Indian Truck Driver

2011-09-23T11:39:00.000+05:30

Truck drivers are often looked down upon, with littleunderstanding of their lives & their job. Driving trucks can be quitedangerous & risky but these truck drivers take it up as a daily activity.They spend a major portion of their lives on the roads with these trucks. Theyare never treated with the respect they deserve. Compared to other developedcountries, truckers in India are poorly paid and often criticized for rashdriving & breaking of rules.

Truck Drivers are the most substantial part of the transportindustry. Not only do they help the logistics industry but are certainly a backbone for the country’s economy. There are about 5 million truck drivers in thecountry who keep the business moving. But no -one ever notices theirdifficulties & struggles which they face during their life on wheels.

We share along a video – ‘Life of an Indian Truck Driver’ -which is a collaborative effort of Mahindra Navistar and Zee Business torecognize and appreciate the struggles taken by a truck driver to keep theeconomy steady.

This video brings to more such interesting insights into thelife of an Indian truck driver:

Truck drivers are undoubtedly the solid pillars of thetrucking industry who work 365 Days to keep the Indian commerce running. Theykeep pace with time to deliver merchandises on time with just a simple faith intheir mind – An optimism to create a better future for the country.

This initiative is taken by Mahindra Navistar under MahindraNavistar Excellence Awards to recognize and reward Outperformance, Excellence,Innovation and Change Leadership in the Indian Trucking Industry.

The Development of Trucking Sector in India

2011-09-15T11:50:00.000+05:30

According toa recent survey into the productivity of Indian transport – India’stransportation sector supplies for the wants of 1.1 billion people. Of this,roads are the main form of transport as they carry 65% of India’s cargo. Also,trucks have the broadest reach in cargo carriage and can transport goods toeven the most rural and mountainous areas of India.

The overallpoor quality and growing congestion on Indian roads are some of the challenges ofthe trucking industry. This overcrowding is particularly severe in urban centerscompelled by the huge development in vehicle possession in the past few years.

Indian Trucking – Facts (Based on the IndianTrucking Sector Analysis)

The Indian Trucking industry nearly employs40 million people.
The trucks in India travel an average of60,000 – 1, 00,000 kms of distance on road per year. About 2.5 – 3 milliontrucks move within the country every day.
One of every 6 vehicles is not running due tounavailability of truck drivers.

Thegovernment & the logistics authorities are planning to expand the roadinfrastructure through investing in variety of planning modules which includes$20.33 million from the World Bank programme which will help extension of theroad network in the country.

Substantialinvestment is being made into India’s road network for improved trucking facilitiessuch as free-trade warehousing zones and special economic zones (SEZs). TheMaharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is planning to model 15truck stations of global standard in Maharashtra. Numerous amenities will beadded to the depots such as warehousing, rest facilities for drivers, treatment& medical facilities and fuel provisions.

Anothermajor issue which is distressing the trucking sector is the scarcity of truckdrivers. Lack of proper training, chaotic work schedules and inappropriate payscale are the key concerns tackled by the industry at the moment. MahindraNavistar provides appropriate training through their ‘Driver Trainingprogramme’ which will benefit the truckers to acquire a better work-relatedsatisfaction.

The thrustin investment in the trucking sector will definitely boost its economy &trade. Mahindra Navistar is also working towards the betterment of IndianTrucking through its pioneering technology. Forums such as Mahindra Navistar“OutPerfoermer’s League” will support the logistics industry to track theproblems and discover solutions.